Things Aren't Like What They Used To Be
by confetticas
Summary: Michael arrives with news of Sam and Gabriel, and it's up to Adam and Raphael to convince him not to react too harshly. Sequel to Fight For You.


"Raphael! Adam!" Michael thunders, storming into their house and looking about ready to kill anything that so much as looks at him funny. "Have either of you heard from Samuel or Gabriel?"

Raphael blinks at his brother, absolutely lost. "…no?"

"Adam?" Michael prompts, still furious.

Adam shakes his head, looking a little amused, "Did they prank you? Because if my brother has mysteriously developed a sense of humor, I can't find fault with that. It only took him five centuries or so."

Michael glowers at him. "No. They did not. They have been on a mission together and they stopped reporting in awhile ago. At first, I thought that –" Michael cuts himself off, evidently not wanting to voice it. "But they are fine, unharmed, as far as anyone can tell. We just can't find them. And I discovered a note at their last known location."

Dread coils in Adam's stomach. "They're gone, aren't they?" he asks quietly, even though deep down, he already knows, has suspected for weeks now that this was coming. Frankly, it's been a long time coming, and Adam can't even muster up surprise at the news.

Michael slumps, all the rage falling away, and scrubs his hand over his face. "They are gone," he confirms exhaustedly. "They left." There's a moment of silence as they all digest this, and then Michael gets angry all over again. "They _abandoned_ us. They deserted."

"Michael – " Raphael starts hesitantly.

"Don't. You. Dare." Michael bites out furiously, meeting his brothers eyes. "There is no excusing this, Raphael, and you _know_ it, so don't you _dare_ try to defend them. They don't deserve your defense, not even a little."

Raphael nods calmly, not looking away. "Maybe so. I can't really argue with that. But it isn't about what _they_ deserve, it's about what _we_ deserve. And there may be no excusing that they abandoned us, that they ran away, but they are also our _brothers_. Sam has been your closest confidante for years, Michael. Tell me you _really_ want to hunt him down and kill him."

Michael hesitates.

Adam closes his eyes and starts praying desperately that Raphael can talk Michael down, because he can't lose Sam. He _can't_. All the things he's lost, his mom, his dad, his first mentor, Sam carried him through that and Sam got him to Raphael, and Adam can't lose him now. No matter how much they bicker, Sam's the only blood family he has left, save for Dean, who barely tolerates him on the best of days.

"Of course I don't," Michael murmurs, finally breaking eye contact. "They are…But Raphael, it doesn't _matter_ what they are to us. What they've done here – "

"No one has to know," Raphael interrupts quietly, seeming slightly guilty. "We'll announce their deaths in the morning. You finally got word of their location earlier today, and Adam and I spent the night trying to save them, but we failed. You aren't publicly setting a double standard and we don't have to hunt them down or hurt them."

Michael stares at Raphael for a long, silent moment, to the point that Adam and Raphael begin to worry that Michael is going to be furious with them over the mere suggestion, and then he closes his eyes briefly, shaking a little. "All right," he says finally, sitting down on their couch and burying his head in his hands. "All right. We can do that. It's wrong, undeniably wrong, but… they're our brothers. It's better than hunting them." He releases a tired breath, leaning forward.

"You can't – Michael, when was the last time you cut yourself a break on anything?" Adam points out hesitantly. "Don't hate yourself for daring to love our brothers. What they did isn't right, yeah, but… it isn't like what…" Adam stops, not wanting to be the unfortunate person to make the mistake of bringing up Lucifer to Michael's face.

Michael smiles bitterly, glancing up at them. "It's not _anything_ like what Lucifer did, you are correct, Adam. If anything, it's even more cruel than that, more _personal_. But… I will not cause myself undue strife over two people who clearly feel nothing towards me. That would be a foolish waste of energy." The bitter smile turns sharp as Michael rises to his feet and strides out the broken door without a backwards glance.

"Well… that went well," Adam says helplessly, glancing at Raphael in concern.

Raphael lets out a tired laugh. "As well as any conversation with Michael can go, yes. I… I hate to say this, Adam, but I fear this might actually destroy him. Sam was saving him, he was _helping_ him. Slowly, yes, but he was doing it. And now…"

Adam grimaces apologetically, and offers in explanation, "Sam will do whatever it takes to make the people he loves happy. And he loves Gabriel in a way he hasn't ever loved anyone before. He loves Gabriel like I love you."

"You would abandon Sam for me? Because that's essentially what Sam did," Raphael points out carefully. "To Dean, to Michael, and to you. Even Castiel."

"He knows that both Dean and I understand," Adam counters calmly. "And I do understand, Raphael. Because if it were you, if something was tearing you apart the way this has been hurting Gabriel… I would miss everyone, I really would, but I'd take you and leave in a heartbeat."

Raphael slumps slightly. "You make a good point," he murmurs softly. "I am certain I would do the same for you. Where do you think they've gone?" he adds with almost reluctant curiosity.

"Honestly?" Adam asks quietly. "I think that we probably don't want to know, because they more than likely went somewhere they don't think anyone will consider looking for them, and that just can't be good."

Raphael winces. "It's probably better not to speculate," he agrees quietly. "Adam…"

Adam meets his eyes. "I'm up for enthusiastically not thinking about it if you are," he offers.

"Enthusiastically, hmm?" Raphael asks, beginning to grin.

Adam nods. "_Very_ enthusiastically," he adds brightly.

Raphael laughs delightedly. "Never change, Adam," he murmurs softly, pulling Adam close and wrapping his arms around him. "How did I ever survive without you?" he adds thoughtfully.

"It must've been miserable," Adam agrees sympathetically, fighting a grin. "Luckily for you, you have me now and you're stuck with me _forever_."

"Very lucky indeed," Raphael concurs with a wide smile, and then he scoops Adam up into his arms, grinning wider still at Adam's feigned protests as he walks them to the bedroom.

\End/


End file.
